Wheel.



A. J. SWING.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAILQ. 1911.

1,018,088. l PatentedFeb. 2o, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOGHM'H Cu.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

UNiTnn sTATs AT erica. f

ALFRED J. SWING, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 THE AUTO-SPRING WHEELCOMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

WHEEL.

Specification f Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 20, 1912,

Application filed January 9, 1911; Serial No. 601,730.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. SWING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l/Vheels, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in spring wheels.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a spring supported rimmember, adapted to form a substitute for pneiunatic tires.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dust-proof structure.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide means for supporting therim member on two sets of springs, one of which sets of springs ispreferably weaker than the other set., the relative tensions being soselected that the weaker set of springs will take up all ordinarystrains and vibrations, the stronger springs being relied upon toprovide for extraordinary stresses.

The features of the invention will be more fully set forth in thedescription of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wheel. Fig.2 is a section on line a2, m, Fig; 1.

1 represents the hub having parallel outwardly extending circumferentialflanges 2. To said flanges I secure a circumferential hub membercomprising the vertical parallel walls 3, extending radially outwardrelative to the hub, and attached to the flanges 2 by bolts 1.Preferably, the outer edges of these walls are reinforced and mutuallysupported by the annular concave ring 5 secured upon the inside of saidwalls 3, by the bolts 6.

7 represent spiral springs, the ends of which are secured to theprojections 5a of the concave ring 5, so that said springs span saidring and extend parallel with the axis. These springs are disposed atsuitab-le reg ular intervals around the circumference of the hub member.

8 represents a circumferential rim member'having inwardly extendedparallel walls 9 disposed respectively in the planes of the walls 3 ofthe hub member.

10 represent spiral springs, the ends of which are secured to theprojections 9a of the walls 9, so that said springs span the rim memberin directions parallel with the springs 7, the rim member beingadjusted' and the springs 10 disposed, so that each spring 10 will be inradial alinement with one of the springs 7. The rim and hub springsindividually could be one integral spring, the meeting ends of which areconnected together.

11 represents a circumferential spring connecting member. Preferably, itis formed of the two angle irons 12, the meeting ends of which aresecured together by bolts 13, so as to form a unitary circumferentialmember, substantially diamond-shaped in cross section. The springs 7 areconnected to projections 11a at the inner apex of this diamond-shapedstructure, and the springs 10 are connected toprojections 11b at theouter apex of said structure, the connections being formed at theintermediate portions of said springs.

The space between the walls of the hub and rim members is closed in bymeans of the corrugated flexibledust-shields 14, preferably formed ofleather or other suitable material. As will be seen from the drawings,the dust-shields are circumferential strips secured to the parallelwalls 9, 3, respectively, the corrugations permitting of relativemovements between the hub and rim members.

15 represents the concave annular tire support secured to the outerperipheral face of the rim member 8.

16 represents the tire secured to the support 15.

Preferably, the hub member springs 7 are of greater tension than the rimmember springs 10, so that ordinary strains and vibrations will be takenup by the springs 10 without appreciably affecting the springs 7, but incases of extraordinary stresses the excessive strains will be taken upby the springs 7. To facilitate this action I preferably provideextension 20 on the outer periphery of the members 11, disposed adjacentto a buffer annulus 21, fixed to the inner periphery of the rim member8, so that when unusual strains are encountered, the springs 10 willyield, whereby the member 11 will encounter and seat upon member 21,thus bringing the springs 7 into action. But this relationship could betransposed.

It will be seen that the coils of the springs extend upon both sides ofthe member 11 at its opposite edges of attachment to the springs, sothat the spring influence is not only realized in the radial plane ofthe wheel but in transverse or lateral planes, thus taking care ofstrains applied to the rim member from any angle.

This wheel is very cheap, easily constructed, ellicient, and entirelydust-proof.

Having described my invention, I claim l. In a spring wheel, a hub, acircumferential hub member secured thereto comprising outwardly extendedwalls, a series of coil springs spanning said walls parallel with theaxis, a circumferential rim member having inwardly extending wallsdisposed respectively in the planes of the hub member walls, a series ofcoil springs spanning the walls of said rim member, and means connectingtogether the medial portions of said radially alined coil springs.

2. In a spring wheel, a hub, a circumferential hub member securedthereto comprising outwardly extended walls, a series of coil springsspanning said walls parallel with the axis, a circumferential rim memberhaving inwardly extending walls disposed respectively in the planes ofthe hub member walls, a series of coil springs spanning the walls ofsaid rim member, and an annular member intermediate the hub and rimsprings and to which said springs are secured at their medial portions.

3. In a spring wheel, a hub, a circumferential hub member securedthereto, comprising outwardly extended walls, a series of coil springsspanning said walls parallel with the axis, a circumferential rim memberhaving inwardly extending walls disposed respectively in the planes ofthe hub member walls, a series of coil springs spanning the walls ofsaid rim member, an annular member intermediate the hub and rim springsto which said springs are secured at their medial portions, anddust-shields attached to the respectively adjacent walls of the rim andhub members.

4;. In a spring wheel, a hub, a circumferential hub member securedthereto comprisneeting said springs, one of said sets of springs beingrelatively weaker than the Y other.

5. In a spring wheel, a hub, a circumferential hub member securedthereto, a circumferential rim member, said rim and hub members beingconcentrically disposed, their opposing peripheries havingcircumferential grooves forming separated edges, coil springs spanningsaid edges, a circumferential member interposed and mutually engagingthe medial portions of said two sets of coil springs, and iiexibledust-guards attached to the opposite adjacent faces of said hub and rimmembers.

6. In a spring wheel, a circumferential hub member, springs supportedthereby parallel with the wheel axis, a circumferential rim-member,springs supported thereby parallel with the wheel axis, rigid meansconnecting the two sets of springs, the springs of one set beingrelatively weaker than the springs of the other set.

7. In a spring wheel, a circumferential hub member, springs supportedthereby parallel with the wheel axis, a circumferential rim member,springs supported thereby parallel with the wheel axis, rigid meansconnecting the two sets of springs, the springs of one set beingrelatively weaker than the springs of the other set, and stoppingdevices coperating with the weaker set of springs to limit the eccentricshifting of the spring connecting means in further straining the weakersprings.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ALFRED J. SWING. Witnesses:

OLIVER B. Karene, CLARENCE B. FOSTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

